Can carton rack



1965 J. B. PENDERGRAST. JR., ETAL 3,203,554

CAN CARTQN RACK Filed Jan. 27, 1.964 3 sheets-Sham. l

INVENTORS mm W A Wok/my g- 1965 J. B. PENDERGRAST, JR., ETAL 3,293,554

CAN CARTON RACK Filed Jan. 27, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ll .1 JOHZV'B. FENDER zaszv;

INVENTORS JBAYMOJVD V12" TEAM v 1965 J. 1a.- PENDERGRAST. JR., ETAL' 3,203,554

. CAN CARTON RACK Filed Jan. 27, 1964 3. Sheets-Sheet 3 a; We; 7

INVENTORS J OHN B. PZZVDEBG-HSZJR. BAY/V0170 H. VIZETHANN United States Patent Office 3,203,554 Patented Aug. 31, 1965 3,203,554 CAN CARTON RACK John B. Pendergrast, In, Atlanta, Ga, and Raymond H.

Vizethann, 706 Terhune Road, Ridgewood, N.J.; said Pendergrast, In, assignor to Southern Spring Bed Company, Atlanta, Ga., a Georgia corporation Filed Jan. 27, 1964, Ser. No. 340,293 14 Claims. (Cl. 211-49) This invention relates to a can carton rack and particularly to a combination of a dispensing merchandise rack and a carton for storing and shipping cans which becomes a part of the merchandise rack holding the cans to be dispensed therefrom.

The matter of shipping, storing and merchandising or dispensing cans in supermarkets or the like, is one of growing importance since the number of cans of various products sold is increasing from time to time, supermarket space has become more valuable and less plentiful, the volume of customers is increasing, labor costs for stocking shelves and the like is increasing and in some instances labor is becoming more difficult to obtain or less productive, and for many other reasons. Therefore, any arrangement in a merchandising rack or combination thereof which contributes beneficially toward this subject matter of the dispensing of cans is of value. Cans are shipped in cartons and time is lost in removing cans from car-tons and in placing them on shelves or racks from which they are usually removed fairly soon thereafter by the customer, placed in the shopping cart and then taken from the store. Ordinarily open cartons sitting on shelves or on the floor are not attractive, do not properly present the merchandise, do not properly dispense the merchandise and are otherwise objectionable from the productivity standpoint and the aesthetic standpoint. The present invention provides a combination of merchandise rack and can carton arranged and presented.

Generally described, without restriction on the scope of our invention as defined in the appended claims, while the present rack is intended as a combination merchandise rack and carton dispenser arrangement, it may also be converted readily to hold carton packs of drinks which are self contained in cartons of six or other numbers. The rack is constructed to be assembled from several pieces and in assembled condition comprises four upstanding frame members with their bottoms resting on the floor and occupying each approximately one corner of the rack. The two back upstanding members are connected by a plurality of transverse Wires representing a selective shelf position. The front pair of members are provided with spaced, aligned sets of holes representing front shelf positioning locations. The shelves are constructed from open, Welded or otherwise interconnected wire material which may be chrome plated for appearance, providing a flat shelf with the forward portion thereof bent upwardly into U-shaped loops interconnected by a front panel extending thereacross. The shelves are removable and each has a set of hooks on the rear which book over a selective wire across the backs to determine the vertical positioning of the shelves from each other at the rear and each front of the shelf may be located corresponding with a set of aligned openings on the two front members to receive a threaded wire, bolt or other fastening member to determine the front location of the shelf. The shelves are positioned so as to place the rear higher than the front whereby cans will roll by gravity from the rear downwardly to the front resting against the front members. The dispensers are in the form of shipping cartons constructed from cardboard or other material having sides, ends, a top and a bottom. One of the ends of each of the cartons is perforated or otherwise prepared to be opened along the length thereof and the cardboard flap pulled downwardly along the surface of the shelf engaging the front to position the carton and to create a space between the end of the carton and the front of the shelf into which cans roll by gravity. Cans are then removed by the customer one at a time from the shelf, pushing generally upwardly and rearwardly to release" a can if necessary, and after each removal other cans roll by gravity to the front to keep the merchandise shelf filled at the front. Loading is a simple matter of removing and dis carding the empty carton and replacing it by a full carton which is pushed to the top of the shelf, the flap ripped open and dropped to the surface of the shelf and the cans permitted to roll to the front of the shelf for dispensing therefrom.

An object of this invention is to provide a combined merchandise rack and dispensing, shipping carton used on the rack to dispense cans therefrom.

A further object of this invention is to provide a combined merchandise rack and shipping carton dispenser wherein the flap from the dispenser carton may be used as a surface for the cans and also to position the carton in the proper location on the shelf.

Another object of the present invention is found in the arrangement of the combined rack and dispensing shipping carton where-by the shelves may be adjusted vertically to accommodate all cartons, a combination of cartons and pre-packaged cans, or nothing but pre-packaged cans as the case may be.

A further object of the present invention resides in the construction of the merchandise rack which combines with the shipping cartons whereby the shelves are removable, the sides may be displaced to accommodate the shelves, and removable fastening means is used on the shelves to secure the shelves to the frame of the rack and to produce a stable and sufficiently rigid rack.

Another feature of the invention is found in the construction of the shelves themselves which contain hook or similar retaining members and wire fastening devices whereby the shelves may be hooked across support wires in selectively different locations on the back of the rack and maybe fastened at different locations onthe front of the rack to provide the correct Vertical spacing as well as the slope or tilt of the shelf.

Other and further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the combined merchandise rack and dispensing carton arrangement of the present invention assembled to hold only dispensingshipping cartons of cans.

FIG. 2 is a top View of the rack shown in FIG. 1 with the dispensing cartons removed.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the top of the rack shown in FIG. 1 with a dispensing carton in place and with cans being dispensed.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation view with portions removed showing the shelf arrangement adjusted to accommodate a combination of pre-packaged cans and case-shipping dispensing cartons.

FIG. 5 is a side elevation view with parts omitted showing a shelf spacing arrangement to accommodate nothing but pre-packaged cans of drinks or the like.

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the sides and back of the rack shown in FIG. 1 with parts omitted and with one side displaced to show an adjustment.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a modified form of a carton having removable portion and the flap for positioning on a rack shelf.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the carton shown in FIG. 7 showing portions removed and the flap extended for positioning on a rack shown in dotted lines.

The combined merchandise rack and shipping carton, dispenser arrangement is designated overall and generally by reference numeral 10 and comprises a substantially vertically disposed merchandise rack having upstanding, vertical corner members, 12, 14 at the rear and 16, 18 at the front, which may be constructed of tubular metal material, such as lightweight tubular steel painted any desired color.

Rear member 12 and front member 16 are interconnected by longitudinal wires 20 welded or otherwise secured thereto to form a side panel on one side and likewise rear member 14 and front member 18 are interconnected by wire members 22 to form the other side panel. Wires 20, 22 are bent into a loop 24 at the rear and normally are looped about vertical rods 26 behind rear member 12, 14 which members 24, are interconnected by transverse, substantially horizontal wires 28 at a plurality of selectively different locations vertically spaced from each other providing different shelf support members. Through the arrangement of the loops 24 on the members 26, both of the sides, designated as 30, 32 are selectively swingable outwardly like wings on a back panel 33 constructed by the association of interconnected members 24, 26. The displacement of the side panels 30, 32 is for the purpose of locating and subsequently adjusting the position of the respective shelves now to be described.

Shelves 34 are constructed from a plurality of longitudinal bottom wires 36 spaced from each other across transversely of the width of the shelf and interconnected by longitudinally spaced wires 38. Each bottom wire 36 extends upwardly at the front and joins with a similar bottom wire 36 to form a U-shaped member 40, there being four such members across the front of each shelf. U-shaped members 40 are interconnected across the front by means of a panel member 42 and a front wire 44 extending from a pair of side wires 46, 48. Each shelf has one or more hooked ends 50 formed at the rear for the purpose of selectively hooking across one of the transverse members 28 to support the rear of the shelf and to provide the proper location at the back of the rack 10. The front of the shelves has welded thereacross a rod member 52, threaded on the outer end and adapted to pass through a respective front member 16, 18 and to receive a fastening nut 54 to securely lock each shelf 34 in position.

In the operation of the rack for dispensing cans removed by hand from a combination of dispensing carton and merchandise rack with shelves, the cans 60 are shipped in cartons substantially the depth of the length of one can and the cartons 62 are preferably printed and lithographed in attractive appearance to become a part of the shelf for dispensing purposes while in the store. The cartons are constructed from cardboard or similar material and the folding and internal construction of the carton does not per se form any limitation on the invention or any part of the present invention except that there is provided in the carton a removable flap 64 which is formed along a weakened line 66 on the front end of the carton 68 in such manner that the flap may be readily pulled by hand out of position when the carton 62 is placed on the shelf on one side thereof thereby allowing the cans 60 to roll by gravity to the front of the shelf contacting the front members 40 and remaining in position. The flap member 64 in extended position along the shelf surface contacts the front of the members 40 and provides the proper spacing to hold the carton the proper distance away from the front of the shelf allowing the right amount of distance for the cans to assume proper dispensing position.

The carton 100 shown in FIG. 7 is a somewhat conventional carton with sides 102 and ends 104, 106. Sides 102 have side front flaps 108 folded on top of end front flaps 110 which are folded about four lines formed with the ends 104, 106. The bottom 112 has bottom side folds and end folds identical with those 108, 110 on the front. This structural arrangement of the carton is old and conventional and is a common fold and does not present anything new in the carton field. However, for improved operation in the dispensing of the cans 114 inside of the modified carton 100, one end, in the present embodiment end 104, is formed in a particular manner to suggest and provide a means for tearing away portions of the carton which otherwise in the conventional folded box might impede or interfere with the smooth flow of the cans on a shelf 34.

Perforated or otherwise weakened lines 120, 122 and other perforated or weakened lines 124, 126, 128, define a tearaway flap which includes a portion of the side 102 as well as a portion of the end 104. A perforated finger tab 131 is provided to be punched away with the end of the finger and the finger inserted therein for the tearing along the perforated lines 120, 122, 124, 126 and 128 for easily removing and extending the flap 130.

Other perforated or weakened lines 132, 134 and the opposite sides 108, 112, define tear-away portions 136 on each of the sides 108 and back 112 and the sections of box 136 of rectangular construction are completely torn away and disposed of thereby eliminating any edges or carton corners or otherwise which might be present in each distorted fashion or presentation as to impede the flow of cans through the front opening 140. Other finger tabs 142, 144 are provided adjacent to the tearaway portions 136 to assist in inserting the fingers and readily tearing these portions 136 away.

In using the carton 100, the grocer or stock clerk positions the carton in the manner shown in FIG. 1 and then or previously preferred tears away the side flaps 136 and throws them away and at the same time pulls the front flap 130 down onto the top surface of the shelf 34 in the manner shown in FIG. 3, thereby positioning the carton 100 at the proper location on the shelf at the same time providing the access opening 140 for the cans 114 to roll out of and also engaging the front edge of flap 130 with the front of the rack 34 to position the carton with the proper spacing on the shelf.

While I have shown and described a particular rack, and at times a particular carton, with various optional features of adjustment and the like, this is by way of illustration only and does not constitute any sort of limitation on the invention since various alterations, substitutions, modifications, eliminations, changes and deviations may be made from the described devices without departing from the scope of our invention defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a combined container dispenser rack having a removable and disposable container and can dispenser thereon,

(a) a merchandise rack supported from the floor and extending upwardly therefrom,

(b) at least one inclined shelf on said rack for supporting a container and can dispenser in inclination thereon to position the container with the rear higher than the front for the purpose of dispensing cans that roll by gravity from the rear towards an opening in said container in the front thereof,

(c) said container .and can dispenser initially being the shipping container for said cans and having a portion thereof removable to define the dispensing opening from which cans are removed manually at the front, and said cans rolling from the rear to the front to fill the space left by cans that have been removed by hand from the rack,

(cl) and can stopping means to stop the cans at the front of the shelf.

2. The device in claim 1, wherein the front of said container is spaced from the front of said rack to define a space which is filled with cans when said container is open and there is a supply of cans thereon.

3. The device in claim 2, wherein said means in (d) is a member on the front thereof to prevent cans from rolling off, and said container has a flap which may be extended to contact said front of said rack at the member and to space the container the proper distance for feeding.

4. In a combined container dispensing rack having a removable and disposable container and can dispenser thereon,

(a) a merchandise rack supported from the floor,

(b) a merchandise container support inclined on said rack from front to back thereon whereby the container is supported higher at the back with respect to the floor than at the front thereof, for the purpose of dispensing by gravity feed,

(0) at least one replaceable and disposable container on said support normally containing stacked cans and said container being positioned to feed said cans by gravity from the rear towards an opening in said carton,

(d) said cans being in said carton when said carton is positioned on said support to feed toward the carton opening by rolling on the curved can sides thereof toward the front of the inclined support,

(e) said carton initially and normally being closed for shipping but having the dispensing opening portion formed by removing a part of said carton to permit cans to roll therefrom,

(f) and can stopping means to stop cans on the front of said shelf.

5. In a combined carton dispensing rack having a removable and disposable dispenser container carton there- (a) a merchandise rack supported from the floor and extending upwardly thereabove for supporting and dispensing merchandise therefrom,

(b) at least one container support means on said rack,

(c) at least one replaceable and disposable container on said container support normally constituting the shipping container having cans stacked closely therein, and said container being inclined to feed said cans by gravity from the rear toward an opening in said container which opening extends below the bottom cans in the carton to permit the front cans to roll from the carton,

(d) said cans being stacked on their sides in said container when said container is positioned on said support to feed toward the container opening by rolling on the curved sides thereof toward the front as cans are removed by hand therefrom,

(e) said container initially and normally being closed for shipping but having a dispensing portion formed by removing a part thereof to permit cans to roll,

(f) and can stopping means spaced from the carton and the opening in the carton on the support whereby cans roll from the carton to the stopping means.

6. The device in claim 5, wherein a part of said carton is extendable along said support to position the carton from the front of the shelf thereby to provide space for cans to roll from said carton and there being means on the front of said shelf to prevent cans from rolling off the end thereof.

7. In a combined container dispensing rack having a removable and disposable container dispenser thereon,

(a) a merchandise rack having ground support means thereon and being supported on the ground and extending upwardly thereabove for supporting and dispensing merchandise therefrom,

(b) a plurality of shelves on said rack providing a merchandise support and said shelves being inclined on said rack from front to back thereon whereby a shelf is higher at the back with respect to the the ground than at the front thereof, for the purpose of gravity dispensing,

(c) at least one replaceable and disposable carton on said shelf normally containing cans stacked in said carton, and said carton being positioned to feed said cans by gravity from an opening in said carton,

(d) said cans being stacked in said carton when said carton is positioned on said shelf to feed from the carton opening by rolling on the curved sides thereof toward the front of the inclined shelf,

(c) said carton initially and normally being closed for shipping but having a dispensing portion formed by removing a part of said carton to permit cans to roll therefrom, and a part of said carton being extendable along said rack shelf to correctly position the carton from the front of the shelf thereby to provide space for cans to roll from said carton,

'(f) there being means on the front of said shelf to prevent cans from rolling off the end thereof.

8. The device in claim 7 wherein said carton has a removable flap thereon extendable to position and space said carton on a shelf to allow space at the front, lower edge for cans to clear said carton.

9. In a combined container dispensing rack having a removable and disposable container dispenser therefore,

(a) a merchandise rack having ground support means therein and being supported from the ground and extending upwardly thereabove for supporting and dispensing merchandise therefrom,

(b) at least one shelf on said rack providing a merchandise support and said shelf being inclined on said rack from front to back thereon whereby the shelf is higher at the back with respect to the ground than at the front thereof, for the purpose of dispensing by gravity feed,

(c) at least one replaceable and disposable container on said shelf normally containing cans stacked therein, and said container being positioned to feed said cans by gravity from an opening in said container,

(d) said cans being stacked in said container when said container is positioned on said shelf to feed from the container opening by rolling on the curved sides thereof toward the front of the inclined shelf,

(e) said container initially and normally being closed for shipping but having a dispensing portion formed by removing a part of said container to permit cans to roll therefrom, and a part of said container being extendable along said rack shelf to correctly position the container from the front of the shelf thereby to provide space for cans to roll from said container,

(f) there being means on the front of said shelf to prevent cans from rolling off the end thereof.

10. The device in claim 9, wherein said carton has weakened lines defining removable portions at the bottom of one end for defining said opening.

11. In a combined rack and can carton dispensing arrangement,

(a) a merchandise rack having a frame extending upwardly and being supported at the bottom from the floor and said frame comprising foldable sides about a back panel,

(b) a plurality of shelf positions on said rack,

(c) vertically spaced shelves removably positioned on said rack, and being supported at the front and rear thereon with the rear thereof elevated thereby to cause the rack to slope from rear downwardly toward the front whereby curved cans thereon will roll by gravity toward the front of the shelf,

, (d)ha1fcan shipping carton dispenser positioned on said (e) said carton dispenser containing a plurality of packed cans therein feeding from said dispenser or on the curved portions thereof,

(f) a portion of said carton being removable to form an opening wide enough to accommodate at least the length of a can and high enough to accommodate one or more cans fed therefrom,

(g) said carton being positioned at a location from the front of the shelves to allow sufficient space between said carton and the front of the shelf for one or more cans to be manually removed from said carton,

(h) can stopping means formed on the front of each shelf and adapted to prevent cans from rolling from the front end of the shelf and to hold cans on said shelf against the weight of any other cans at the rear thereof,

(i) and a portion of said carton being extendable as a guide to properly position the carton for the correct distance on the shelf.

12. In a combined rack and can carton dispensing arrangement,

(a) a merchandise rack having a frame extending upwardly and being supported at the bottom on the floor,

(b) a plurality of shelf positions on said rack,

(c) vertically spaced shelves removably positioned on said rack, and being supported at the front and rear thereon with the rear thereof elevated thereby to cause the rack to slope from the rear downwardly toward the front whereby curved cans thereon will roll by gravity toward the front of the shelf,

(d) a removable can carton dispenser positioned on one or more of the shelves having an opening therein at the front of the shelf,

(e) said carton dispenser being a shipping container containing a plurality of packed cans therein feeding from said dispenser on the curved portions thereof,

(f) a portion of said carton being removed to form an opening wide enough to accommodate at least the length of a can and high enough to accommodate one or more cans fed therefrom,

(g) said carton being positioned at a location from the front of the shelves to allow sufiicient space between said carton and the front of the shelf for one or more cans to be manually removed therefrom,

(h) can stopping means formed on the front of each shelf and adapted to prevent cans from rolling from the front end of the shelf and to hold cans on said shelf against the weight of any other cans at the rear thereof.

13. In a can carton dispensing rack,

(a) a merchandise dispensing rack,

(b) a rear panel on said rack constructed from a plurality of vertically spaced transversely extending wires joined to a pair of opposed, vertically spaced rods substantially parallel each with a respective rear upstanding member,

(c) the bent end of said members on said side panels being looped around a respective vertical rod on said rear panel and being thereby attached thereto for movement inwardly and outwardly with respect to each other,

(d) said vertically, spaced transverse wire members on said rear panel being located at selective intervals providing a shelf support at the rear of the merchandise rack,

(e) a plurality of shelf members, each being detachably attached on said merchandise rack both at the rear and the front thereof,

(f) each of said merchandise shelves comprising a plurality of longitudinal wire members spaced transversely and being connected by at least one transverse wire connecting member,

(g) one of said transverse wire members on said shelf extending outwardly beyond the outer confines of said shelf on both sides thereof and having the terminal ends thereof extended to receive,

(h) means on the ends of said member in the preceding paragraph for retaining same in place,

(i) said front corner upstanding members having a plurality of aligned, spaced holes therein representing different positions for the ends of wires on said shelves,

(j) the forward ends of the longitudinal wires on said shelves extending upwardly providing a can retaining ledge on the front of the merchandise rack,

(k) a dispensing carton of depth substantially the length of a can and having a plurality of cans packed therein, said dispensing cartons being positioned with the side thereof resting on the merchandise shelf and there being one or more of said cartons side-by-side on said shelf,

(1) said shelves being supported with the hooked rear thereof hooked about a selected transverse wire on the back panel and with the front threaded rods located in a set of aligned holes with the attachment nut in place, and said shelves being positioned with the rear end higher than the front end whereby cans will roll from the dispensing carton out of the opening provided by the removed flap,

(m) and the distance from the front of the carton being established by the front flap whereby a number of cans are exposed on the front of each merchandise shelf to be removed therefrom.

14. In a can carton dispensing rack,

(a) a merchandise dispensing rack comprising four upstanding corner members having the lower ends thereof supported on the floor,

(b) said four upstanding members being designated as two front members and two rear members,

(c) each of a pair of front and rear members on each side being connected by means of a plurality of vertically spaced longitudinal wires attached to the respective members,

(d) at least some of the wires in the preceding paragraph on the front and rear members on each side being formed with bent ends and said connected front and rear members and vertically spaced rods together forming a pair of spaced side panels on said rack,

(e) a rear panel on said rack constructed from a plurality of vertically spaced transversely extending wires joined to a pair of opposed, vertically spaced rods substantially .parallel with each with a respective rear upstanding member,

(f) the bent end of said members on said side panels being looped around a respective vertical rod on said rear panel and thereby being attached thereto for movement inwardly and outwardly with respect to each other,

(g) said vertically spaced transverse wire members on said rear panel being located at selective intervals providing a shelf support at the rear of the merchandise rack,

(h) a plurality of merchandise shelves, each being detachably attached on said merchandise rack both at the rear and the front thereof,

(i) each of said merchandise shelves comprising a plurality of connected wire members,

(j) attachment means on said shelves,

(k) said front corner upstanding members having a plurality of different positions for said shelves to be adjusted with respect to the distance the-rebetween,

(l) a can stopping means on the front of said merchandise rack,

(m) a dispensing shipping carton of depth substantially the length of a can and having .a plurality of cans packed therein,

(n) said dispensing cartons being positioned on the side with the side thereof resting on the merchandise shelf and with the cans lying on the cylindrical sides thereof,

(0) a portion of said carton being removable to provide an opening through which the cans therein will roll by gravity from the carton to the front edge of the dispensing shelf,

(p) means for positioning said carton the correct distance from the front of said shelf to allow sufficient space for cans to feed therefrom,

(q) said shelves being supported in removable fashion at the rear and in a position higher at the rear than at the front whereby c-ans will roll by gravity from a dispensing carton,

(r) said carton remaining a part of said rack during 10 the dispensing of the cans therefrom and being removable and replaceable by another carton to feed oans on said rack, and (s) said shelves-being adjustable in height and distance to accommodate different size cartons or other merchandise.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,492,912 12/49 Womack 21149 2,680,522 6/54 Temple 10859 3,055,293 9/62 Lariccia 101-44 CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A COMBINED CONTAINER DISPENSER RACK HAVING A REMOVABLE AND DISPOSABLE CONTAINER AND CAN DISPENSE THEREON, (A) A MERCHANDISE RACK SUPPORTED FROM THE FLOOR AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY THEREFROM, (B) AT LEAST ONE INCLINED SHELF IN SAID RACK FOR SUPPORTING A CONTAINER AND CAN DISPENSER IN INCLINATION THEREON TO POSITION THE CONTAINER WITH THE REAR HIGHER THAN THE FRONT FOR THE PURPOSE OF DISPENSING CANS THAT ROLL BY GRAVITY FROM THE REAR TOWARDS AN OPENING IN SAID CONTAINER IN THE FRONT THEREOF, 